Page:History of Public School Education in Arizona.djvu/76

70 that the superintendent, who was then appointed by the governor, be elected, and that his salary be increased (at this time it was only $1,200). He urged that the county superintendency be divided from the office of judge of probate.

The superintendent pointed out that in the anxiety to expend all the funds remaining in the treasury toward the end of the year the committee sometimes fell into extravagance, and this was particularly the case in the buying of charts and library books. The amount of money levied for school purposes was in general equal to the need, but now and then it was necessary to bring a writ against the board of county supervisors to force them to levy a school tax in accord with the report of the county school superintendent.

The tendency to create new school districts with not more than 10 pupils had produced various weak ones, which sometimes lapsed for lack of attendance.

There was little recommendation for distinctive legislation in this report.

Supt. Dalton was renominated for the new term beginning in March, 1897, and continued without opposition, but he seems to have served only about one year in all, when his work was taken over by A. P. Shewman, who published, on January 10, 1899, his report on the work of the superintendent’s office for the last two years.

In his message to the assembly in 1897 Gov. Franklin discussed the public schools, quoted extensively from the superintendent’s report, and pointed out that the annual cost per capita based on the number of children enrolled in 1895 was $17.58, and in 1896 it was $16.34. This was a little higher than Iowa ($15.58) and some less than New York ($18.97). When the cost per capita based on attendance was considered, the balance was against Arizona. In 1895 this was $29.94, and in 1896, $28.98, while in Iowa it was $24.50. It was becoming evident that the children of Arizona were not making the best use of their opportunities.

The governor pointed out again the advisability of separating the county superintendent’s office from that of probate judge, and now, after many efforts, the school authorities were to see this desire consummated in the larger counties. Chapter 60 of the acts of 1897 provided that in counties of the first class (Maricopa, Yavapai, and Pima) the county superintendent of schools should be a separate officer and should receive $1,000 a year. In the other counties the situation remained as it was. Special taxes to aid the university and the normal school were laid, and an act was passed (ch. 69), the first of its kind, for leasing school and university lands.

The reports of Territorial Supt. Shewman for the years 1897 and 1898 contain nothing of particular significance. It should be said, however, that the statistics now presented from year to year are in